If you've ever pan fried or seared steaks or chops, you know they can curl up a little once things heat up. This is called "buckling," and it's easy to fix, thanks to this tip from America's Test Kitchen. Just make a few small slits around the sides. They'll stay flat and sear evenly.

Instead of pressing down on them with a spatula or tongs, this tip will get you a nice even sear and even cooking without damaging the chop or steak you're trying to cook. Just a few quick cuts around the outside will keep it from happening, and remember not to cut too deep: You don't want to cut into the meat.

Thick cuts won't need it as much since they'll be heavy enough to lay flat, but meat that has that nice band of fat around the outside can start to buckle pretty quickly. This is because the fat loses its moisture faster than the rest of the meat, and shrinks while cooking. It pulls itself tighter around the meat, causing the rest of the chop to pull up from the sides. The video does a great job of showing you why this happens, and giving you a before/after picture of how well it works. Give it a try the next time you're searing, pan frying, or grilling.